St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-05-05
WANT A NEW SHEPHERD
Some Members of the Flock in the First
Presbyterian Church of St.
Paul.
They Claim the Pastor Is Doing Larger
Business in Real Estate Than
Religion,
And That the Church Membership Is
Failing Away Under DR.. Her
r1ott's Lead.
In Executive Session the Matter Is
Discussed Letting Him Down
Easy.

- ASACCutIf0 SeSSIOn LQe M after Is
| Discussed Him Down
| Easy.
The Westminster Presbyterian church. at
the corner OF Greenwood avenue and Win
! l1fed street, West st. Paul, has developed
a hght between its members and pastor.
! patterned very much after the
FAMOUS row which DR.. West had
with his congregation, when
| they sought to dislodge him from the pas
torate. Rev. G. G. Herriott has been pas
tor OF the Westminster church for two
years. during which time the church has
| erected &c. 900 edifice, and financially has
hourlshed. But, spiritually, the dissatis-
ned factions OF the congregation claim
lhe church has not grown as it
should, and they charge this to
the pastor. Mr.. Herriott The spiritual
decline dates almost from the time when
Mr.. Herriott took charge of the parish, so
thls faction says. A year ;ago. at the an
nual meeting and election of officers, the
dissatisfied ones endeavored to secure his
| resignation, but he was present at the
meeting and succeeded in quieting
the malcontents. At that time
number OF prominent members withdrew
from active support Of the church. 1t is
claimed that the congregations have stead
lily diminished since then. owing to the un-
popularity OF the pastor and his neglect Of
parlshional duties, until tine attendance
in the last few months has aver
! aged only from ten to fif-
teen persons. The most serious charge
against MI. Herriott Is not made openly,
but it is whispered about among the brelh-
rem and sisters, who are against Mr.. Her.
riott that his desire for earthly, gains in the
buying and selling of real estate has led
him to almost wholly forget his. ministerial
mission. He is said to have given it out on
a Saturday, to one OF his leading members.
that
| HE HAD CLEARED $4,000
in real estate profits last fall and then on
Sunday he told his congregation that they
ought to give one-tenth Of all they made to
the Lord. They say ''he doesn't practice
what he breaches" The handsome little
study, which is erected adjoining the
church for the use of the pastor
Ill preparing his sermons, is said
| 10 nave been created by Mr..
Herriott into real estate office, with every
modern appurtenance necesSary,to the busi-
ness, except a gilt-lettered sign over the
door. The old janitor of the church test-
hes that Nh. Herriott seemed to be doing
rushing business, and that the study
was AequeiI IenueZVouS IOr
the buyers and sellers of choice
properties. Lately a petition has
been circulated and received fifty-four sig
natures out of a membership not much
larger, requesting Mr.. Herriott to resign.
But Mr.. Herriott doesn't propose;to do any
such thing. and he has some friends who
/ are willing to stand by him in his effort to
retain himself. Another thing, the church
owes Mr. Harriott $274.S0 back salary.
All these things have been discussed
among the members for long time, and
they turned out in full force last night at
the annual meeting to- settle the matter.
Rev Mr.. Flndlay, pastor of the Ninth
presbyterian church, was present and
chosen as moderator. The first signs of the
approaching storm were apparent when the
| congregation commenced TO ballot for trus-
tees Tor the ensuing year. Elder McClel-
ian, the principal supporter of Mr.. ,Herriott,
challenged the right of one of the opposi-
ton to vote. 1t was one of the members
who staid away out of dislike for the pas
tor. He wanted to know on what grounds
his vote was challenged.
| Elder McLellan--You have no more right
| to vote here than have i'll your house. You
haven't been member of this congregation
| fer nearly Il year.
The moderator raped for order, and
read the rule providing that any member
could vote who contributed his share to-
wards the maintenance of the church.
The Member-In the last ten days L have
given $75.
Elder McLellan--It was something YOU
agreed to pay long ago on back debt then.
You haven't given anything towards current
| expenses.
Mr.. Herriott. who was not kept away by
any delicacy of feeling, said:
That question is settled by the civil statute.
wi for
| attendant for six months previously, or he
has no right to vote.
MI. Hawthorne. lawyer, tried to re-
member the exact language of the statute.
but he couldn't, and the matter was settled
by the withdrawal of his vote, because it.
as was said, wouldn't make any difference
anyway. After the election the annual
meeting adjourned, and the congregation
sat to discuss
THE MAIN QUESTION.
1t was tersely put by William j. Bahow.
an aged member, in the following out
spoken terms:
a vote i'll this congregation to know whether
we shall keep Brother Herriott US our pastor
any longer.
AT this point in the proceedings Mr..
Campbell rose and moved an executive ses-
sion, and reporters had to retire For an
llOul dilu u HAL IL Wal pl WOTuS was Wageu,
and it was close upon IL O'clock before they
adjourned. When they did, the only fact
which could be cleaned was that they had
decided to let Mr.. Herriott down easy, and
that he would probably resign within a.few
weeks.
Mr.. Herriott SAID to GLOBE reporter
yesterday, that the petition asking for
his resignation had been circulated by
George Bohon. One reason for this, was
that Mr.. Bohon. Sr., had not been admit
ted to the session. He had, MI Herriott
said, been an elder, once in some
church in Iowa, land" said Mr.. Herriott,
you know it is hard to deal with these old
elders sometimes Rev. Herriott seemed
very cheerful over the matter, and said o
small faction wanted new pastor. and iI
had been thought best to give them achance
to present their grievances, so that the exact
condition of affairs might be known. He
said nothing about any resignation.
A Giri's Queer suicide.
ST.. LOUIS, Mo-. May Cora Sullivan
beautiful refined maid of % years, daugh-
ter of a wealthy citizen of Montgomery
City, Mo-, committed suicide last night.